Spotted: New Trek Slash & Scott Ransom

Sep 1, 2023
by Matt Beer  
The sixth round of the Enduro World Series just concluded in Loudenvielle, France where we observed two new enduro bikes from Trek and what can only be a Scott. Trek Factory Team rider, Hattie Harnden, took a new high-pivot Slash to a 4th place in the Elite Women's race.

Trek Slash High Pivot

Trek's High Pivot Slash

Trek has carried the high pivot design of their Session downhill bike over to the enduro model, the Slash. The carbon frame construction includes the rear triangle, rocker link and continues on with the downtube storage compartment.

High pivot designs aren’t without pitfalls though. Drivetrain efficiency is a large concern, but Trek have bolted what looks to be a 20-tooth idler wheel at the main pivot and a specific MRP lower jockey wheel to keep the chain moving freely.

Trek hasn't released any details on how much travel the new Slash might have, but there does also appears to be a bolt-on lower shock mount for possibly tuning the leverage rate to work with either the enormous RockShox Vivid air shock, or a coil damper.

Scott Ransom

Scott's Ransom with Hidden Shock

Scott predictably brings their hidden shock frame design over from the Spark and Genius over to what can only be the Ransom model. The lighthearted lab notes on the paint scheme don’t reveal any true details except that this is the first version of the prototype, or at least what we’ve seen.

Additional pivots and an extra bar that connect the rocker link to the BB link increase the complexity of the frame design, but fine tune the longer travel kinematics. A larger downtube cover should offer quick access for making shock adjustments. Furthermore, Scott has stuck to their guns on the integration, which includes the cables that are routed through the 1.5” headtube.

Scott Ransom
Scott Ransom

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for any more prototype bikes that pop up at the races as the season carries on.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Spotted Edr Loudenvielle 2023


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151 Comments
  • 168 1
 Big thanks to Scott for marking out where to drill the cable ports
  • 12 1
 Not sure that is the response they are expecting.
  • 5 5
 Wireless brakes in 1, 2,3...
  • 43 0
 Am pretty sure in that first pic one of the slogans on the frame says “pinkbike hate comments here”. Just above the BB on the down tube
  • 3 0
 Nothing painting a target on yourself or in this case frame with that ‘old cable port’ - old motto no such thing as bad publicity
  • 1 0
 It’s a good selling port
  • 10 0
 @tomo12377: I kinda dig the chalkboard “paint scheme”
  • 2 0
 @Jperry1290: I was just thinking that. Might get my old bike painted in Matt black and let the kids have a go at it with paint pens.
  • 4 0
 iNnoVaTIoN
  • 2 2
 Serious question: who's buying this bike? Anyone in the US see an appreciable number of Scotts over 120mm at their trails? Is the market mainly in Europe?
  • 1 0
 @dancingwithmyself:

I see bigger travel Scott’s here in Northern California. Matter a fact, my buddy has the enduro model and rides it everywhere, from Northern California, to Tahoe and Canada.
  • 1 0
 @flaflow: lol
  • 55 3
 If hiding a shock or headset routing actually solved a problem or made things better I wouldn't have a problem with either but I don't see any inherent superlatives other than aesthetics.
  • 14 1
 Unique Selling Point.
  • 22 4
 @hubertje-ryu: Points out the "Flash over function" dummy's who hate their shock being able to cool down long long descents and have lots of money for repairs. Nothing like your shock cooking inside your frame half way down an enduro stage while your oil viscosity changes due to the heat so your rebound and compression change so you can look cool.
  • 11 0
 Although protecting the expensive shock from the elements isn't a bad thing. I wondered if you could remove the dust seal to make it plusher. Also the forces produced by the shock would be well supported with a tube all the way around. I don't see it as a bad thing. Question, would a brake lever fit through a 1.5" headset bearing?
  • 22 0
 @kiddlivid: Just install a fan or even water cooling system. No worries, stop over thinking things and making problems that aren't there.
  • 5 21
flag michaelrobinson (Sep 2, 2023 at 0:02) (Below Threshold)
 @kiddlivid: This overheating of your shock is no better or worse than a chock outside. I had a Genuis last year and the hidden shock version this year. It could be argued that on a hot day, the shock would be cooler as it is in the shade the whole time.
  • 19 0
 The shock is going to be cooler outside the frame. Sunlight is an almost negligible factor compared to the heat youre putting in when riding hard. The frame also doesnt make the sunlight diappear. It heats up the frame and the shock inside it. A few days ago I almost burned myself on my coil shocks piggy back when touching it after about 800 meters of continuous descending and I am neither particularly heavy, nor a pro rider. The situation for a likely heavier pro rider with the much smaller integrated air shock shielded from cooling air flow is probably not going to be better. While the rising spring rate and falling damping coefficient in compression might partially cancel each other out, the higher spring rate and falling damping coefficient in rebound wont. It would be interesting to see a dyno run in a temperature chamber to better judge the impact of heat. Since shocks use very different internal flow paths the response to heat would also be different from one shock to another.
  • 10 2
 @michaelrobinson: Yeah, you're just wrong, mate.
  • 5 0
 Looking fast is all that matters
  • 11 2
 @kiddlivid: Number 1 and number 3 @ Megavalanche used a Scott Genius with hidden shock. After 40 minutes non stop racing, the shock was working just fine. Heat is not a problem.
  • 1 0
 @bikes-arent-real: I just pack mine with ice at the start of each run.
  • 4 2
 @bosse: Working, and working as well as it could/should do are two different things.
  • 1 0
 I wonder if there's any air vents for the shock
  • 1 0
 @Tristanssid: will a master cylinder
  • 5 0
 @endoplasmicreticulum: I’ve ran shocks on dynos at different temperatures. Heat definitely makes a difference, but it’s not as much as you would think at high temperatures. Modern oil works pretty consistently at a range of temperatures, and both the shocks and the oil are designed to perform once they’ve warmed up. You will notice a much larger difference riding in cold temperatures because your suspension isn’t designed to perform at those temps. You can definitely get the shock too hot, but I see a lot more benefit in protecting the shock from dirt and water.
  • 22 0
 Already have photos of the Slash in bike shops and catalogs. Maybe the worst kept secret at this point. Official release must be any day now.
  • 1 0
 Where can this be found?
  • 9 1
 @Shahin-rajaofetra: www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/trek-mountain-bike-slash-9-8-gen-6-p120482
  • 3 0
 Sep. 7th. They already advertise it.
  • 2 0
 It really is the worst kept secret, I am a current Slash owner and pics of this have been getting around for months on the owner's groups. I saw today someone had been for a ride on one now as well- so stores must have the stock now... official release must surely be this week??
  • 12 2
 @taskmgr: They must be kidding. 11k € for Sram GX and a Select+ fork?
And the bike is ugly as well
  • 3 0
 On their instagram they announced a new bike on the 7th so I guess we’ll see
  • 3 0
 As someone who may or may not work for Trek, it is possible that September 7th is the release date as others have speculated.
  • 2 1
 @Bikesbecauserunningsucks: might have to put in youre notice after that reveal. Woah
  • 1 1
 @taskmgr: I was in the shop today having a look at it. It’s definitely a big bike
  • 1 0
 @Grady-Harris: Shhhh
  • 1 0
 Yeah, there’s one in the front window of my local shop.
  • 16 4
 Hidden shock is almost as bad as headset routing
  • 30 2
 Shock AND cable tourism. Half the bike is on vacation somewhere in “it’s horrible to service” land.
  • 9 0
 Hate headset routing (and am not particularly keen on internally routed rear brakes either), but I’m actually on the fence about shocks being inside frames provided there’s enough clearance to run any shock, as it could mean you get more life out of seals? That being said less ventilation might also mean they might not cool down as quickly, but I’m not sure how much that would affect performance. And at least the Ransom looks like it might have a relatively easy to remove panel covering the shock, so at least it’ll be more accessible than on all the other bikes with a hidden shock I guess?
  • 3 4
 @samdaman1: Oil viscosity changes as the shock heats up, so your rebound and compression would change as well as your air in your air spring would head up and expand unless they have somehow accounted for that, so you in theory end up with higher spring rate and less compression and rebound damping as the oil thins out at higher temps as you get further down the trail, especially in higher ambient temperatures. I really done get it unless Scott just realized the people that ride their bikes don't care about performance, just about trying to look cool and are happy with shop charging more money to fix their poorly designed bikes.
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: I wouldn't worry about servicing, that's always a "ok let's do thiss hit finaly" but I just like to play/fiddle with my bikes vs depression, don't hide my stuff from me. I hate new Scott.
  • 9 2
 Slash is mullet or 29 I bet, like the reverse of a Fuel EX. They know that option allows for racing in 29 and play in 27.5. Like Patrol and Spire from Transition. Betting man says 170mm across the board
  • 16 1
 www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/trek-mountain-bike-slash-9-8-gen-6-p120482
  • 3 0
 @taskmgr: pinkbike with the hot take!
  • 5 0
 @taskmgr: €11k with gx and select+, i sure hope that is just a placeholder price
  • 2 0
 They will be mullets out of the box, but the lower shock mount can be switched out to accomodate 29" wheel bikes. I've already watched all the trek modules on the slash gen 6 so I'm pretty familiar with the bike. Trek has already released the info on slash at TrekU and their b2b site
  • 1 0
 I heard a trek employee say 180 fromt 170 rear mullet
  • 1 0
 @butcherblock: mmm no, it's a 170/170mm mullet bike... lol You can find everything on internet even with pictures! Razz
  • 12 3
 There's Trek's "covered in wet hair" paint job again

Vomit emoji failed to post
  • 3 4
 underrated comment
  • 7 0
 Pubes on the toilet bowl
  • 2 0
 @bikes-arent-real: can't un-see that now!
  • 8 0
 Of note: that idler is below and rearward of the supposed main pivot. Better pedaling characteristics - a weak point on the Norco Range.
  • 8 0
 What Scott don’t get: people don’t want to hide their 1000$ Kashima bling shock. Otherwise might as well buy a reasonable one
  • 1 2
 The Kashima color doesn't match this bike so it makes sense to hide it. The bike in the picture probably has a Suntour shock which looks and works (from what I heard) real nicely. That said, Scott likes hiding. If you don't want it, get something else. Give it a few years and they'll hide everything for you, including yourself.
  • 2 0
 @vinay: It doesn't match any bike, frame or Pharao of Nile it's a fools gold. Lionsgate of cycling. Add purple bits for reference.
  • 7 0
 Also, isn't Scott's new bike just a Bold? Or are there bigger differences? I think a comparison between the Scotts and Bolds with similar travels would be interesting.
  • 12 0
 Same horizontal shock orientation, but the rear end is totally different. Bold uses a VPP system with a one-piece rear end - this looks like some kind of six-bar Horst setup.
  • 1 0
 It looks like it might be a true six bar since the chainstay has pivots at both ends
  • 3 0
 Didn’t Scott buy bold, or something like that?
  • 2 0
 @adamstraus: yes, about two years ago IIRC.
  • 2 0
 Bold is owned by Scott for a good couple of years.
  • 9 0
 I've always wanted a slek trash
  • 2 0
 And now it finally has a sensible seat tube angle!
  • 8 0
 Ride the Ransom and get all the anti-Ebike hate at the trailhead without deserving it.
  • 3 2
 Already get that on a dreadnought...
  • 1 0
 @jorge754: You'd probably get that on a bike with the Naild suspension, an Orange bike, a bike with an internal gearbox... Instead by now it is on those latest bikes from Trek and Specialized where I wouldn't see they've got pedal assist.
  • 1 0
 Imagine riding a Spark? Or explaining to every customer that comes into the store that the Spark is not an e-bike.
  • 4 1
 Ahh now this is interesting. I had Someone in the gondola next to me last week with a Scott and he pointed out that he had the same shock then me but hidden in the frame which said ransom. Was a Little surprised as i didn’t recall a ransom with hidden shocks having been released.

So the thing seems to fit at least the EXT storia coil and he was running the ERA in 180mm up front. The colour was ahm well - interesting Big Grin
  • 7 1
 Hope that slash can take a dual crown Smile
  • 2 0
 It can't...
  • 6 4
 How does SRAM's stupidly restrictive Transmission setup guide work with all these high-pivots? Chainstay length changes more than normal, and the chain needs to be way longer, so the formula for chain length that is mainly based on chainstay length and no idler ain't gonna work right.
  • 4 0
 Forbidden at least gives you the correct chain length info. Not sure about any other brand but yeah you're right it's dumb
  • 8 2
 I wouldn't call it "stupidly restrictive", they tell you the right chain length in the AXS App and you put it on. They have a section for idler bikes now as well.
  • 9 4
 Idler is there so there isn't stupid big chain growth. Should be just fine, and as others below have pointed looks like it is so. Having used X01 T type now for a while I'll take the extra "difficulty" on initial setup anytime as my bike is really quiet with the great clutch and shifting has been great.
  • 4 0
 @heatproofgenie: it stops chain growth up top where the tension is under pedalling but the bottom is typically left to be managed by the derailleur. I'm sure it's thought about but the chain length on my normal bike has basically no tension in 12th.
  • 1 0
 @heatproofgenie: Quiet versus what? The old eagle AXS, which was like a clutchless derailleur? Or you mean that it is way better than a shimano one?
  • 1 0
 @Tristanssid: Cool, didn't realize that the idler controls chain growth up to sag or thereabouts. Thought it was more of the travel range but I could see that being the case.
  • 2 0
 @Timo82: I've just ridden Sram stuff for the last 6 years or so it's compared to Sram cable Eagle stuff. From working on my kids bikes yes, I'd agree that Shimano has way stronger clutches so you're right there. From working on both the new Sram T Type clutch is stronger than Shimano even.
  • 1 0
 @heatproofgenie: Ok thanks! I'm a shimano fan boy because of the double shift on XT and XTR shifter and really don't like Sram's one gear at the time but yeah, the new stuff looks to be good... not cheap but good!
  • 6 0
 RED ZEBB'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 1
 My chance to brag here.

I've seen all the details, specs and photos etc of the next gen Slash for the last few weeks. Bonus of working in the bike industry. Several high end carbon versions running SRAM T-type transmission and one alloy version. Looks mean. 170mm front/rear. Can run mixed or full 29 wheels obviously. Price has gone up. Under embargo until the 8th, of this month.
  • 18 18
 Trek is building a better enduro race bike, Scott continues down the path of nightmare design for the sake of “looking sleek”.

I guess so that the self-styled Strava enduro Bros who don’t wrench on their own rides can have a sleeker bike to park in front of the coffee shop.
  • 5 1
 As a privateer racer doing all my own wrenching at home- the Trek is incredible friendly to work on and Trek parts easy to source also. Sure it's a little over priced new, and some would say a little 'generic' but it's fast as f*** and been a joy to work on compared to everything else I've owned in the past- I will buy another for this reason.
These beautifully sleek bike with integrated everything are lovely to look at, but as you say...
  • 2 5
 Dude the new Slash looks ugly af. A hidden shock is not enough to get close
  • 2 0
 @Jmac888: My slash was really great until the frame cracked and they initially denied the warranty as "impact" and have had the appeal tied up for like a month
  • 1 0
 @eyelid-peelin: my chain stay cracked. Same experience for me. I had it repaired locally and sold it. Yes the buyer knew of the repair
  • 1 0
 Wow I am about to buy a slash but thought they were easy with the warranty, like Specialized... they are probably the best warranty wise but they just should built solid frame instead of giving new ones all the time! lol Just need a steep seat tube and I would buy an Enduro instead of a high pivot like the Slash but the wait is too long! Just hope I won't have a problem with the frame! :S
  • 2 0
 @Timo82: My experience with Trek's warranty was great so far. Luckily no issues with the frame (knock on wood) but I got two replacement carbon wheels, no questions asked. One straight from their showroom as it was mid season, one within two weeks or so. Trek Munich South - thanks guys!

@Jmac888 what's been your experience with bearings? Had to replace main pivot ones twice in two seasons, not sure if that's considered normal.
  • 3 0
 Trek looks like a chainsaw
  • 3 2
 very pretty ransom! but suddenly goodbye to the ransom e ride with the suspension at this level, we will be entitled to a bulked body patron for sure, too bad.
  • 2 0
 Can Scott reveal their hidden high pulley yet? Then they can have my monies.
  • 1 0
 www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/trek-mountain-bike-slash-9-8-gen-6-p120482

Trek Slash Gen 6 is 170/170 but also a mullet.....
  • 2 0
 The first time I will not be buying the new model slash..so lame .. hopefully trek will bring back the remedy
  • 2 0
 I bet no one of the haters have ever owned a scott bike nor they have ever ridden one.
  • 1 0
 have you? Curious as to how they are to ride and own. Money no object I wouldn't mind a Genius
  • 1 0
 From the opening paragraph was anyone else expecting 3 bikes.

“…where we observed two new enduro bikes from Trek and what can only be a Scott.”
  • 2 0
 2024 Slash will have 170mm/170mm travel.
  • 2 0
 Looks like a Force.

I’ll show myself out.
  • 1 0
 I don’t know why Trek seem to want to continue with the actuated single pivot for the Slash? Why not go high pivot 4 bar?
  • 2 0
 Because it works well... better than any 4 bar bike I've ridden
  • 1 0
 @ranchitup: how many have you ridden?
  • 1 0
 @notphaedrus: A few rocky mountains, a few canyons. Also had a Knolly for a while. Closest thing to the slash was probably the 2020 slayer I had. I find the slash to track a lot better under braking then that that bike did. Curious what your qualms with the split pivot are? Have you ridden the Gen 5 Slash?
  • 1 0
 @ranchitup: yes I have. Efficient bike, but harsh. Massive pedal kick back (tried changing sh*tshaft shock, then new debonair super deluxe, then coil super deluxe.) overall, it’s still an actuated single pivot
  • 1 0
 @notphaedrus: Pedal kickback isn't a thing past super low speeds... sounds like setup was off www.pinkbike.com/news/why-you-shouldnt-worry-about-pedal-kickback.html
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Trek…….what, it is a Trek. Oh….erm….. Looks like a Demo then!
  • 1 0
 Spotted a new slash? Really I saw one in my local bike shop today complete with the new vivid shock
  • 1 0
 They have a new Slash on display at my local shop… Are they still under embargo?
  • 1 0
 I wanted this bike before, I want it even more now! I wonder how much the new high pivot system will improve the bike?
  • 1 0
 I like Scott more for their jokes than for their bikes and this one is really close to the Cube one. Appreciated.
  • 1 0
 scott should rename it the anaconda. thick like chilled pb.
  • 1 0
 It comes mullet and you can convert to full 29.
  • 1 0
 do I see a red zeb on the slash?
  • 1 0
 if Rock Shox do a Red Zeb, take all my money :-)
  • 1 0
 is that a session? Looks like a session to me.
  • 2 1
 Looks like a Slash
  • 1 0
 One less h.p.
  • 4 5
 Scott caters to the weight weenie and that's about it, what are we gonna do carry the bike or ride it.
  • 1 0
 Return of the equilink?
  • 1 0
 Full review next week!
  • 1 0
 It's 19 teeth
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Slash.
  • 1 3
 As much as I hate the hidden shock and headset cable routing I did the paint job on the Scott
  • 2 2
 Spartan knock-off
  • 1 3
 Wish they kept a similar design of the current Slash but implemented the high pivot.
  • 3 1
 Yeah that's pretty much what this is...
  • 1 1
 And with a real seat tube angle so we can pedal up this thing! So yeah, pretty much what they did... lolll
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